FAQ Category: USA Home Poker Law

Home poker games are legal in Maine so long as they standard rules of “social gambling” are upheld. No player or other person may benefit from hosting the event. All profits must come from actual winnings from the poker game. No player may have an advantage over another. Etc, etc, etc… Maine does have strict regulations that prohibit unlawful gambling, but an exception is made for “players” in a “social gambling” situation. [Reference: http://mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/17-A/title17-Ach39.pdf]

It is perfectly legal to play home poker games in Ohio so long as no person is profiting from ownership of the residence, or hosting of the game. The only time players are committing a crime is if they are considered professional gamblers, which basically means they are profiting more from home poker games than they are from any other source of income. [Reference: http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/2915]

Wyoming home poker games are legally acceptable by Wyoming Statues definition of Gambling, which provides exceptions for “any game, wager or transaction which is incidental to a bona fide social relationship, is participated in by natural persons only, and in which no person is participating, directly or indirectly, in professional gambling.” Professional gambling would require someone to profit indirectly from the actual game, by charging an admission fee, taking a portion of the pot(s), etc. [Reference: http://legisweb.state.wy.us/statutes/statutes.aspx?file=titles/Title6/T6CH7.htm]

Arkansas strictly prohibits any form of gambling on card games, regardless of the location or value to one or more players, or the host. The law states: “If any person shall be guilty of betting any money or any valuable thing on any game of brag, bluff, poker, seven-up, three-up, twenty-one, vingt-et-un, thirteen cards, the odd trick, forty-five, whist, or at any other game at cards, known by any name now known to the law, or with any other or new name or without any name, he shall, on conviction be…

The state of Maryland does not allow for home poker games according to the Maryland Code, section 12 on forms of legal gambling. Pari-mutuel gambling and some instances of charitable raffles are the only legal forms of gambling in Maryland. Any other form of gambling, including social gambling, is punishable as a misdemeanor with a minimum/maximum fine of $200-$1,000.

Oklahoma does not allow home poker games. The law specifically prohibits all forms of gambling, in or outside of a private residence. If convicted, a player is subject to a fine of $25-$100, or 1-30 days in jail. [Reference OS §21941: http://law.justia.com/oklahoma/codes/os21.html]

California is very opened minded to gambling laws, much more so than most US states. Home poker games are perfectly legal in California. “Under California law, ‘controlled games’ such as poker can be played only in tribal casinos, licensed card rooms or private homes.” [Reference: Nathan Barankin, spokesman for California state attorney general, USA Today; http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-01-17-poker-craze_x.htm]

The laws of Massachusetts are not clearly defined pertaining to social gambling situations. It is clear that a player who loses any money or thing of value may reclaim that loss, by law, within three months, but the actual legality of playing home poker games is not referenced in Massachusetts General Law. [Reference, MGL Chapter 137 Sections 1-7: http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/mgl/gl-137-toc.htm]

In the state of Oregon, home poker games are classified as “social games”, which are legal according to the provisions of the Oregon Revised Statues. Home poker games are permitted so long as all players qualify as “a person who engages in any form of gambling solely as a contestant or bettor, without receiving or becoming entitled to receive any profit therefrom other than personal gambling winnings…” [Reference ORS Gambling Offenses Chapters 161 and 167: http://www.leg.state.or.us/ors/167.html]

Home poker games are legal in Colorado so long a they meet two criteria: They must involve players with a “bona fide social relationship” (have something in common outside of the game), and have no “profit motive” outside of equal opportunity winnings derived straight from the game. [Reference: http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/Rev-Gaming/RGM/1213781235201]